Employee Benefits
Mid-Year Changes
The enrollment options you elect during Open Enrollment will remain in effect for the entire plan year, unless you experience an IRS Change in Status Event, such as:
- A legal marital status change including marriage, death of spouse, divorce, legal separation or annulment
- Commencement or dissolution of registered domestic partnership
- A change in the number of dependents including birth, death, adoption or placement for adoption
- A change in employment status for you, your spouse, your domestic partner or your dependent such as termination or commencement of employment, a strike or lockout and commencement or return from an unpaid leave of absence
- Your dependent satisfies or ceases to satisfy eligibility requirements due to age, student status, marital status or any similar circumstance
- A residence change affecting eligibility for you, your spouse, your domestic partner or your dependent
- You or your dependent becomes entitled to Medicare or Medicaid (eligibility or loss of eligibility)
- Significant changes in Group Benefit Plan costs or coverage terms including the addition or elimination of a benefit plan
- Commencement of or return from a leave of absence
- Judgment, decree or order resulting from a divorce, legal separation, annulment or change in legal custody (including a qualified medical child support order as defined in Section 609 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974) that requires medical or dental coverage for an employee's child or for a foster child who is a dependent of the employee
Requesting a Mid-Year Change
A mid-year change must:
- Be consistent with the Change in Status event
- Meet the guidelines of County contracts/agreements, plan documents and Internal IRS Section 125
- Be received by Employee Benefits and Services within 31 days of the Change in Status event
Effective Date of Mid-Year Changes
All elections made during the plan year are effective beginning with the pay period
that immediately follows the date that the properly
completed forms and documentation are
received by Employee Benefits during the
applicable election period. Elections shall only apply
to compensation that has not yet been earned at the
time of the election unless otherwise allowed under
IRS Section 125, federal regulations, the County’s
Section 125 Premium Conversion Plan and the terms
of the Group Benefit Plans. Submit your paperwork
as soon as possible to reduce the amount of premiums
owed or the timeframe in which a refund is processed. If you have questions about mid-year
changes, contact Employee Benefits.
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